Take precautions when using Gmail—or any other email service

There is nothing cloud-based that is free of risks or breach. Your email could be read by someone other than the recipient, or it could altogether be hacked.

If you ever wondered whether your emails are safe, then you better log out of the internet forever if you’re looking for something 100% secure. There is nothing cloud-based that is free of risks or breach. Your email could be read by someone other than the recipient, or it could altogether be hacked.

Whatever email server you use, you need to protect yourself. Here we will talk about Gmail, but the basics of these advices apply to any mail server.

Privacy and Security

It’s usually unlikely that someone can read your email, but it’s in your best interest to assume that someone might so better reinforce your protection. Email, after all, passes through other servers before arriving at your computer from the sender.

Gmail is SSL encrypted between your computer and Google’s network. However, if the sender is not using Gmail, the message travelling to Google’s network is not similarly protected. However, a Chrome extension is underway to address this issue. However, even SSL is not bulletproof, as Heartbleed proved.

Email accounts are also highly prone to hacks. It is recommended to use a strong password that only you know. And if possible, use that password only for your email account and not for any other online accounts. You can use a password manager to manage you multiple passwords.

Two-step verification also provides better security. This ensures that only authorized devices can access your account. In the event that an unknown device logs into your email, a code will be sent to your phone, if the log in is a hoax, the user cannot access your messages.

Follow these simple steps to set up Gmail’s two-step verification:

Go to ‘Settings’ on the Tool icon located in the upper-right corner of the window.

Next, go to‘Accounts and Import’ > ‘Other Google Account Settings’ on top of the page.

When you land on the Settings page, setup ‘2-Step Verification’ in the security tab.

From there, just follow the prompts until you see a ‘Send Code’ button. Wait for a text from Google.

Enter the code that arrives onto the appropriate field. Check the ‘Trust this computer’ option when you’re using your own computer or device, but leave it unchecked when using a public computer.

Another thing worth noting, make sure to always log off after checking your mail from someone else’s computer. It may be a trusted friend or family but you can never be sure who will sit next after you.

Are you using Google Apps in your {city} business? Looking for a better way to secure your cloud services? Call Global Data Systems, Inc. today. We are your cloud service professionals and we have the skills your {city} business needs to ensure your business information is secured online. This includes your GMAIL or Office 365 email services. Call (888) 849-6818 or drop us an email at info@GDSConnect.com.

GDS provides fully managed IT services, EMR software hosting, cloud services and a wide-range of IT services to businesses, healthcare facilities, government organizations and media outlets in New England and across the United States. Book your no obligation IT review with our team of highly-skilled IT professionals today.

Published on July 15, 2014 by Joe Young

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